Footwear.



PATENTED DEC. 4', 1-906.

R. CHRISTENSEN.

FOOTWEAR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 9 14 iii/21; 4

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT CHRISTENSEN, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BOOT& SHOE PROTECTOR MANUFACTURING CO., OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATIONOF WISCONSIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

FOOTWEAR.

Application filed November 20, 1905. Serial No. 288,152.

To all whom it map concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT CHRISTENSEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Footwear, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference-being had therein to. theaccompanying drawlngs.

This invention relates to improvements in boots, shoes, and otherfootwear, and has particular reference to a protector for boots, shoes,&c., which in use are subjected to unusual or very rough wear.

The invention comprises a protector-plate which provides the sole andheel portions and a continuous marginal upstanding .flange through whichpass the rivets or other means for securing the protector to the shoeand which may be stamped up from the plate.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theaccompanying description.

The invention consists of the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter particularly described, and then pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe,showing the protector adapted thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the protector alone,and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modification of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings, the boot or shoe protector, as clearly shownin Fig. 3, comprises a sole portion 10, heel 11, and shank 12, thelatter being suitably curved, as shown, and an upstanding marginal guardor flange 13. This protector may be made of any suitable metal, such assheet-steel, and

may be suitably shaped and the flange 13 stamped up to a suitable heightby means of suitable dies. The guard-flange 13 is providedwi'th openings14, which are preferably continued throughout the guard-flange, which,as shown, is continuous. The size and outline of the protector will ofcourse correspond with the dimensions and outline of the boot or shoe towhich it is adapted and the flange be bent to conform to the contour ofthat portion of the vamp or upper with which it is in contact.

theguard-flange and quarter.

While the protector may be adapted to boots, shoes, and other footwearof any suitable character, I have shown it in the present instance witha heelless shoe, the sole 15 of which may be made of leather, canvas, orother suitable material, having the upper lasted thereto in the usual orany suitable manner. This shoe is provided with a continuousreinforcing-strip 16, of leather or the like material, which extends atthe margin of the vamp from the quarter around the front of the toe, asshown in Fig. 1, and while in the 6 5 present instance such strip isshown as consisting of a plurality of pieces it will be obvious that itmay be made of a single piece. Suitable rivets 17 pass through theopenings. of the guard-flange, the reinforcing-strip, and 7 shoe-vamp tosecure the protector to the shoe. At the heel such rivets pass throughAs shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reinforcing-strip extends above the edgeof the guard flange of the pro- 7 5 tector and not only serves toprovide a greater thickness for the attachment of the protector, butalso prevents the vamp from wearing or cutting against the edge of theguard-flange, as the vamp is stiffened thereby and held from beingcrushed over the edge of the guard-flange. Moreover, this strip byholding the vamp in shape avoids crowding of the vamp away fromguard-flange, thereby preventing dirt, fine gravel, &c., from en- 5tering between the protector and the shoe.

When the protector is em loyed with a shoe of the character here s ownand described, before the shoe is inserted in the protector a suitablepad 18 is placed in the eel-cavity of the protector in order to raisethe heel portion of the sole 15. Preferably an insole 19 is employed,and between the heel portion of the insole and the sole 15 a second pad20 is inserted to raise the heel of the wearer.

The protector at its sole and heel portions is provided with knobs orbosses 21, which may, as shown in the drawings, be riveted to the soleand heel-plate. These bosses are de- I00 signed not only to avoidslippage, but also to increase the wear of the protector.

The protector, as shown in Fig, 3, may be provided with an integraltoe-cap to protect the toe of the shoe. The guard-flange not onlyaffords a means for securing the protector to the shoe, but in additionserves to protect the edge of the vamp and prevent wear thereof byabrasion.

The invention provides a protector for boots and shoes and the likewhich is particularly serviceable for use in rolling-mills and bystoneworkers, miners, well-diggers, railroad-hands, and others engagedin work in which the footwear is subjected to very rough usage. Owing tothe provision of the reinforcing-strip, dirt, dust, or fine gravel isprevented from entering between the protector and the shoe and danger ofthe shoevamp wearing out or being cut by the edge of theprotector-flange is avoided. The protector is exceedingly simple,consisting of but one piece, and may be readily stamped up from a singlesheet of metal.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a shoe andthe like, of a protector made of metal and comprising sole and heelportions and an integral continuous upstanding flange, a leatherreinforce between the flange and shoe-vamp, and means passing throughthe flange, vamp and reinforce for securing the protector in place.

2. A device of the class described, the combination with a shoe and thelike, of a protector comprisin a single plate of sheet metal providing aso e and heel, a continuous upstanding flange integral with and stampedup from the plate, a reinforcing-strip of the same material as theshoe-upper interposed between the flange and shoe-vamp and extendingabove the edge of the flange, and means, such as rivets, passing throughthe flange, reinforcing-strip and shoe-vamp to secure the said parts toether.

In testimony whereo I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT CHRISTENSEN.

Witnesses:

H. C. CASE, N. M. RUTTEsrEIN.

